Lesson 2
ONLINE SAFETY, SECURITY, ETHICS AND ETIQUETTE
Topics:
 Online Safety and Security
 Internet Threats
 Netiquette / Protecting Reputations
Online
 Copyright
 Contextualized Online Search and
Research Skills
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, the students should be
able to:

• Consider one’s and other’s safety when sharing

information using the Internet;
• Consider one’s and other’s reputation using
the Internet;
• Determine and avoid the dangers of the
Internet;
• Be responsible in the use of social networking
sites; and
• Browse the Internet efficiently and properly
through proper referencing.
“Online Safety
and Security”
 Why is it important to stay safe online? Most of us
are ‘connected’ via our laptops, mobile phones, tablets
or personal computer. The potential for the internet to
be a valuable and a fun resource for entertainment,
making friends, keeping in touch and learning is huge.
But if you use the internet, you could be at risk of illegal
activity or abuse - be it bullying, fraud or something
more serious. Unlike seeing someone face to face, on
the net, people aren't always what they first seem. In
the same way you learn about safety when you leave the
house, it is important to learn how to stay safe online.
These are skills that will stay with you for life.
Activity No. 2.1: How safe are you?
Check the appropriate box if the information is to be shared or not shared.
Post your answers in the “Activities for Lesson 2 – L2: Activity 2.1”

Type of Information Shared Not Shared

1. First name    
2. Last name    
3. Middle name    
4. Current and previous school(s)    
5. Your cellphone number    
6. The name of your mother and    
father
7. The name of your siblings  
8. Your address    
9. Your home phone number    
10. Your birthday    
• How many checks did you have for
shared?
• Why did you share your full name?
• Why did you share your birthday?
• How many hours do you spend on
the Internet per day?
• Can you live without the Internet
for a week?
• How many aspects of your life
depend on the Internet?
Let us go back to the “How Safe Are You? “ activity.
Let us visit each item and see how risky is to share them.
Type of Information Risks
1. First name Chances are, a hacker may already know plenty stuff about you even if you give
only your first name.
Sharing both your first name and last is more risky. You will be vulnerable to being
2. Last name searched for using search engines, which include image search. Matching a name
with a face is a modus to several cybercrimes like identity theft. (example: posers)
3. Middle name Sharing your middle name alone is probably not the most risky of this shared
information, but sharing your full name would be.
4. Current and previous Most people who steal identities study their subject. They can use this information
school(s) for verification process.
Your cell phone number should never be posted over the internet. The Internet is a
5. Your cell phone number public place. Random strangers will text or call you, or worse, pretend that they are
someone else.
6. The name of your Not risky as posting their full name, especially your mother’s maiden name. In fact,
you may have already encountered many websites that are requiring your mother’s
mother and father
maiden name as an answer to a secret question whenever you lose your password.
7. The name of your Disclosing this is a huge risk. Strangers may pretend or use their identity to dupe
siblings you.
8. Your address Giving them your address is a whole other level. It would be much easier for
criminals to find you.
9. Your home phone Scams usually used this information to deceive you, one of which is when a
number stranger pretends to know your parents or pretends to be you.
Letting people know your birthday is probably a must if you want to get as many
10. Your birthday gifts as possible. But having it in your profile makes you vulnerable to identity
theft.
 The Internet is defined as the
“Information Superhighway”
“Information Superhighway” This means
that anyone has access to this highway, can
place information, and can grab that
information. Any information, even things
that you have set privately, can be accessed
one way or another.
 
Don't give out personal information such
as your address or phone number.
Don’t send pictures of yourself to anyone,
especially indecent pictures.
Don't open emails or attachments from
people you don't know.
Don't become online ‘friends’ with people
you don't know.
Never arrange to meet someone in person
who you've met online.
If anything you see or read online worries
you, tell someone about it.
“Internet Threats”
As the number of internet users continues to
grow worldwide, internet safety is a growing
concern for both children and adults.
Common concerns regarding safety on the
internet include: malicious users (spam,
phishing, cyberbullying, cyber-stalking. etc.),
websites and software (malware, computer
viruses, etc.) and various types of obscene or
offensive content. Several crimes can be
committed on the Internet such as stalking,
identity theft and more.
Common internet threats to be aware of:
1. MALWARE (Malicious Software) - malicious software that
infects your computer, such as computer viruses, worms,
Trojan horses, spyware, and adware.
1.1 VIRUSES - malicious computer programs that are often sent as an email attachment or a
download with the intent of infecting your computer, as well as the computers of everyone in
your contact list. Just visiting a site can start an automatic download of a virus.

1.2 WORMS- unlike a virus, goes to work on its own without attaching itself to files or programs.
It lives in your computer memory, doesn't damage or alter the hard drive and propagates by
sending itself to other computers in a network – whether within a company or the Internet itself.

1.3 TROJAN - a Trojan horse may not be a term you're familiar with, but there's a good chance
you or someone you know has been affected by one. It is disguised as, or embedded within,
legitimate software. It is an executable file that will install itself and run automatically once it's
downloaded.

1.4 SPYWARE & ADWARE - spyware and adware are often used by third parties to infiltrate
your computer. These are software that collects personal information about you without you
knowing. They often come in the form of a ‘free' download and are installed automatically with
or without your consent. These are difficult to remove and can infect your computer with viruses.
 Common internet threats to be aware of:
 2. SPAM- one of the most common methods of both sending information out and collecting
it from unsuspecting people. The mass distribution of unsolicited messages, advertising or
pornography to addresses which can be easily found on the Internet through things like social
networking sites, company websites and personal blogs.
3. PHISHING – commonly used by cyber criminals because it's easy to execute and can
produce the results they're looking for with very little effort. Fake emails, text messages and
websites created to look like they're from authentic companies. They're sent by criminals to
steal personal and financial information from you. This is also known as “spoofing”.

4. CYBER BULLYING - is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones,
computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in
social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content.

5. CYBERSTALKING – it is wherein the attacker harasses a victim using electronic

communication, such as e-mail or instant messaging (IM), or messages posted to a Web site or
a discussion group. A cyberstalker relies upon the anonymity afforded by the Internet to allow
them to stalk their victim without being detected.
“Netiquette”
The term “netiquette” is a
coined or portmanteau term
of network and etiquette. It is
a set of ideal rules and
conduct that a netizen should
observe in communicating
and/or publishing information
and materials over the World
Wide Web and in ICT in
general.
Protecting Reputations
Online
Once you post something
over the Internet, search
engines keep them in their
archives for search results.
This makes anything you post
to last forever even if you
delete it in your page.
Something you and your
friends find funny today may
something that could harm
someone’s reputation later.
Disreputable information
about you, it may harm your
reputation even if this
information has been
discarded.
 
Consider the following:

1. Before you post something on the web, ask these

questions to yourself: Would you want your parents or
grandparents to see it? Would you want your future boss
to see it? Once you post something on the web, you have
no control of who sees your posts.
2. Your friends depend on you to protect their reputation
online. Talk to your friends about this serious
responsibility.
3. Set your post to “private.” In this way, search engines
will not be able to scan that post.
4. Avoid using names. Names are easy for search engines to
scan.
5. If you feel that a post can affect you or other’s reputation,
ask the one who posted it to pull it down or report as
inappropriate.
 Tips that could help avoid copyright infringement:

Copyright 1.UNDERSTAND – Copyright protects literary works,

photographs, paintings, drawings, films, music (and lyrics),
If you create something – an idea, choreography, and sculptures, but it generally does not protect
an invention, a form of literary underlying ideas and facts. This means that you can express
something using your own words, but you should give credit to
work, or a research, you have the
the source.
right as to how it should be used 2. Be RESPONSIBLE – even if a material does not say that it is
by others. This is called copyrighted, it is not as valid defense against copyright. Be
Intellectual Property. responsible enough to know if something has a copyright.
  3. BE CREATIVE – Ask yourself whether what you are making
In other words, the copyright law is something that came from you or something made from
somebody else’s creativity. It is important to add your own
includes your rights over your
creative genius in everything that will be credited to you.
work, and anyone who uses it 4. KNOW THE LAW – There are some limitations to copyright
without your consent is laws. For instance, in the Philippines, copyrights only last a
punishable by the law. lifetime (of the author) plus 50 years. There are also
provisions for “Fair Use” which mean that an intellectual
property may be used without a consent as long as it is used in
commentaries, criticisms, search engines, parodies, news
reports, research, library archiving, teaching, and education.
Activity No. 2.2: Complete the crossword puzzle below.
Post your answers in the
“Activities for Lesson 2 –
L2: Activity 2.2” via text 1
reply.

4
5 6

7
“Contextualized Online Search
and Research Skills”
  Internet research is the practice of using
Internet information, especially free
information on the World Wide Web, in
research. It has a profound impact on the way
ideas are formed and knowledge is created.
Common applications of Internet research
include personal research on a particular subject
(something mentioned on the news, a health
problem, etc.), students doing research for
academic projects and papers, and journalists
and other writers researching stories.
 Activity No. 2.3: Online Researching
Look at these two search results.
Write a summary of the difference between the
two results in a separate sheet of paper.
Post your answers in the “Activities for Lesson 2 –
L2: Activity 2.3” via text reply.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 2.0
Figure 1.0
 Tips in conducting online research:
•Have a question in mind. Focus on a question you want answered. If it is a series
of questions, start with one. Never search everything in one go.
•Narrow it down. Search engines use several filters to determine the most
appropriate result for you. These search engines use your previous search history
and your geographical location, and send you which is the most related to you. You
should always remember to narrow down what you are searching for.
•Advanced Search. The best way to filter information you get from search engines
is by using the advanced search. This will allow you to filter out information you do
not need.
•Look for a credible source. Click the source of the information and see if it is
credible.
•Give credit. If you are going to use the information from a source for educational
purposes, give credit to the original author of the page or information. To properly
cite a reference, you may use the format below:

Example
Name of the person or organization (the author of the information). Title of the home page in italics
(title is shown in title bar but is sometimes missing or unrelated). URL. Date last seen.

Lapiz, Adrian Harold L. “Oleander’s Fun Facts about Bananas.” http://oleander.

penz.com/random/bananalove.htm. Viewed on September 7. 2015.
Google Search techniques:
- End -